"Besides that, you're still serving thieves instead of serving the public, and you have a decent job."

"You want status and status, you want status and status... The shogunate treats you well, why do you want to treason and collaborate with the enemy?"

"I admit that Oshio Heihachiro is a man of great talent and virtue."

"And your dream of no longer having hunger in the world is indeed worthy of recognition."

"But this is not enough reason for you to become thieves."

"The Lord Dongzhao established the Three Rivers, collected the Yuanjiang River, united Qingzhou, conquered Takeda, destroyed Toyotomi, built the shogunate, and created an unprecedented peace in the world."

[Note: Tosho God Lord: Tokugawa Ieyasu. After Tokugawa Ieyasu's death, he was granted the title of god "Tosho Daigongen". Mikawa and Tosho: Japanese place names. Kiyosu: refers to Oda Nobunaga.]

"This is the 260th year of our shogunate's foundation. Our benevolence and virtue are widespread, and our benevolence is profound."

"What's more, today's great tree master, he wears clothes at night and eats at night, and he sleeps on the firewood and tastes his courage."

[Note: Dashu Gong: the honorific title for the currently reigning shogun]

"Nowadays, the sea is full of people, and the barbarians and thieves in the west are in trouble. It is the autumn when people with lofty ideals use their lives."

"If you really take the rejuvenation of the country as your mission, you should serve the shogunate instead of being a fox in the city and a rat in the society."

These words mentioned above have been held in Nishino's heart for a long time.

When he learned that my grandson was a gangster of the Great Salt Party, he always wanted to ask me this question.

My grandson didn't keep Nishino waiting too long.

As soon as Nishino finished speaking, he let out an intriguing and weird chuckle.

"Nishino-kun, I didn't expect that your eloquence is quite good. You can preach in every way~~"

"What should I say... those words you just said, just deceive others, don't deceive yourself~~"

Hearing this, Nishino suddenly looked angry.

Just when he was about to say something, my grandson interrupted him:

"Nishino-kun, I want to ask you instead - why are you not a traitor like me?"

"...Huh?"

For a moment, Nishino couldn't believe his ears.

My grandson's outrageous remarks made his eardrums numb.

Why am I not a traitor to the country? Do you even need to ask? I am the son of the Nishino family who has been loyal and loyal for generations! I would rather die than do anything that goes against the honor of a samurai!

I don’t know if it was because he felt the angry gaze from Nishino, but my grandson turned his head to the side, glanced at Nishino behind him with the corner of his cold eyes, and said slowly in a tone of neither sadness nor happiness:

"Nishino-kun, you just said something wrong."

"It's not because I became an official of the shogunate that I have to be loyal to the shogunate."

"But because I happen to be an official of the shogunate, that's why I want to oppose the shogunate even more."

"Nishino-kun, as a member of the northern town of Hokkaido, you should be able to understand that feeling, right?"

"The feeling that those who should be arrested cannot be arrested and those who should be killed cannot be killed."

As soon as my grandson said this, Nishino's facial lines instantly became extremely stiff.

At the same time, my grandson showed a solemn expression as cold as ice, and even his trademark way of speaking with a long tail tone disappeared.

"Although in terms of functions, the Huofu Thieves Kai and the Sanchai of the Sanchai are very different, there is one thing that both parties have in common, that is, we can both see a lot of cruel scenes."

"The fat official, the profiteer who can't satisfy his desires, the hypocrite who deceives the world and steals his reputation, the impoverished poor, the infinite growth of sin, the endless bloodshed..."

"We are not as high-minded as Lao Zhong and Ruo Nianji. When we look up, we can see the tranquility of the years and we can't see any dirt."

"They are not as humble as traffickers and grassroots officials. They are trapped in the quagmire and struggling to move forward. They are exhausted just by living the life in front of them."

“We are caught between the two, and the absurdity of ‘heaven’ and the sorrow of ‘underground’ are all clearly reflected in our eyes.”

"Bullshit 'Fire Dragon'...Bullshit 'Fire Thief Transformed into the Number One Breaking Master'...I can't even save a little girl who had her virginity taken away and had to commit suicide."

"Nishino-kun, I believe you can relate to this desperate situation and this painful experience of being unable to help despite being able to help."

"How can we govern the country well with these insects?"

"There is no point in pruning, pruning or adding fertilizer and water to a big tree with rotten roots. At most, it will only slow down the decay of the tree, but this rotten tree will eventually rot and collapse."

"The only way to bring it back to life is to completely knock down the rotten tree and plant a new sapling in its place."

Speaking of this, my grandson paused for a moment, and then put on a strange expression that was half-smiling but not smiling.

"Nishino-kun, I talked so much in one breath, it must be hard for you to digest, right?"

"I have no intention of forcing you to change your mind."

"I don't expect you to have an epiphany and transform from a loyal minister of the shogunate to our comrade overnight."

"But...you have gone through so much trouble to learn martial arts just to serve the shogun...and sacrifice your life to a person you have never met?"

"Is this the only level of your pursuit?"

"In your eyes, only one who is loyal to the shogunate can become a commendable samurai?"

"What does a samurai in your mind look like?"

The continuous questions like a machine gun confused Nishino.

In order to cover up his confused expression, he subconsciously turned his face away.

Anger, confusion, confusion...all kinds of emotions intertwined in Xiye's heart, leaving him speechless.

His body instinctively resisted my grandson's words.

But...but...my grandson's voice, my grandson's series of questions, melted into the depths of his mind without his control...

Just when Nishino was deeply entangled, the elongated way of speaking that was very familiar to him came back:

"Nishino-kun, please leave the issues I just mentioned for you to think about them later~ We are here~~"

Nishino was stunned for a moment, then raised his eyes and looked around.

After a non-stop gallop, they had left the city and arrived at the outskirts of Edo.

The surroundings are nothing but grass and mud, and there is an uninhabited crossroads ahead.

My grandson stood in the middle of the intersection, took out a small bamboo flute about an inch long from his arms, put it to his mouth, and played hard.

Gu~gugu~gu~

The sound coming out of the flute is not a pleasant flute sound, but a lifelike hoot of an owl.

"Okay~ My comrades will be here soon~~"

"...Your comrade is an owl?"

"Hey~ Nishino-kun, I didn't expect you to have a funny side~~"

My grandson did not lie.

After a moment, Nishino felt a human breath coming from his side.

He turned around to look, and the darkness in front of his sight squirmed.

Immediately afterwards, three samurai with swords at their waists stepped out of the darkness and walked in front of Nishino and my grandson.

Nishino raised his eyes and carefully looked at the faces of these three people.

The samurai standing in the middle and on the right are all elderly uncles.

The only person standing on the left is a young man, about 20 years old.

The faces of the two middle-aged men were both kind, but the young man always had his eyebrows furrowed and had a cynical expression on his face.

"My grandson, long time no see."

The uncle standing in the middle smiled heartily.

"Mr. Ebina, each other."

My grandson bowed in return, neither humble nor overbearing.

At this time, the uncle standing on the right asked impatiently:

"My grandson, is this Mr. Hosejiro Nishino?"

"Well, yes, this is Hoshin Hoshino, Nishino Hoshin, Nishino-kun. These three are my comrades."

The uncle standing in the middle straightened his body and said politely:

"Nishino-kun, this is the first time we meet. I am Ebina Yezong."

The uncle standing on the right took over:

"I am Kanyuki Ichinose, please take good care of me."

Both Ebina and Ichinose look enthusiastic.

In comparison, the young man's attitude was much more indifferent.
To be continued...